Kidney
23 markers in this category
Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (ACR)
With a lot of muscle mass, a high-protein diet or creatine use, the creatinine in your urine can come out higher. Because the ratio divides by that creatinine, it belongs with the result, and is best read alongside your blood pressure.
Citrate
Urinary citrate is a key stone-prevention marker particularly relevant for men, who are more likely to develop kidney stones. Dietary factors common in men's nutrition, such as high protein and sodium intake, can lower citrate levels and increase stone risk.
Creatinine
Your creatinine level sits above the reference band, and you train hard. For a muscular man that is often simple arithmetic, not kidney trouble. It rarely signals a kidney problem, even though it can feel that way. Creatinine forms from the daily breakdown of creatine in muscle tissue. More muscle mass therefore means the body makes more creatinine. The eGFR formula, based on creatinine, does not account for that. In heavily muscled men, kidney function can therefore look lower on paper. This page shows how to tell the difference, and when cystatin C or creatinine clearance settles it.
Creatinine (Urine)
Urinary creatinine is relevant for men's kidney health assessment. Men typically excrete more creatinine due to greater muscle mass, and factors such as high-protein diets and creatine supplementation can further influence urinary creatinine levels.
Cystatin C
Cystatin C offers men a more accurate kidney function assessment that is not influenced by muscle mass or high-protein diets. For men with significant muscle mass or those using creatine supplements, cystatin C provides a clearer picture of true kidney health.
Microalbumin (Urine)
Microalbumin testing is an important part of men's kidney health monitoring. Men with hypertension or diabetes are at increased risk of kidney damage, and conditions such as prostate enlargement can compound urinary health concerns, making early screening valuable.
Oxalate
Urinary oxalate testing is relevant for men's kidney health, as men are more likely to develop kidney stones than women. Dietary habits, protein intake, and hydration patterns common among men can influence oxalate levels and stone formation risk.
Protein (Urine)
Protein in urine testing is an important component of men's kidney health assessment. Men with hypertension, diabetes, or prostate conditions that affect urinary health should consider regular monitoring to detect kidney changes early.
Urea (BUN)
BUN is a kidney function marker particularly relevant for men who follow high-protein diets or engage in intensive strength training. Higher protein intake and greater muscle mass can influence BUN levels, making regular monitoring an important part of men's health management.
Urine Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment formed when red blood cells break down. It is normally not found in urine, so a positive dipstick result can point to the liver or bile ducts.
Urine Blood
This dipstick result detects blood in the urine that may not be visible to the eye. Blood can come from anywhere in the urinary tract and has many possible causes, from infection to kidney stones.
Urine Culture
A urine culture helps identify bacteria causing urinary tract infections in men. While UTIs are less common in men than women, they can be associated with prostate conditions and tend to be more complicated, making accurate culture-guided treatment important.
Urine Glucose
Glucose is normally reabsorbed by the kidneys and is not present in urine. When blood sugar is high, glucose can spill into the urine and show up on a dipstick test.
Urine Ketones
Ketones are produced when the body breaks down fat for energy instead of glucose. Small amounts can appear during fasting or a low-carbohydrate diet, while higher levels can have a medical cause.
Urine Leukocytes
Leukocytes are white blood cells, and they do not normally belong in urine. The expected result is negative. In men a positive result deserves more attention than in women. An ordinary bladder infection is uncommon in men. The urethra is long, which makes the ascending route difficult. If inflammation does occur, something else is more often involved: the prostate, an STI, or obstructed drainage. The dipstick does not measure cells but leukocyte esterase released by them. A positive result therefore shows activity, not a diagnosis. Your doctor determines what is actually going on, with your symptoms and follow-up tests alongside.
Urine Nitrite
Nitrite is not normally found in urine. Certain bacteria convert nitrate into nitrite, so a positive dipstick result can be a sign of a bacterial urinary tract infection.
Urine Screening
Urine screening provides men with a quick overview of kidney and metabolic health. It can help detect conditions relevant to men's health, including early signs of diabetes, kidney issues, and urinary tract changes that may be related to prostate health.
Urine Sediment
Urine sediment analysis provides men with detailed insight into kidney and urinary tract health. It can help identify conditions such as kidney stones, which are more common in men, and detect urinary changes that may be associated with prostate-related issues.
Urine Sediment Leukocytes
Sediment leukocytes are white blood cells counted under the microscope in spun-down urine. A few are normal; a higher number can point to inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
Urine Specific Gravity
Specific gravity reflects how concentrated your urine is, which is closely tied to how well hydrated you are. It typically ranges from about 1.002 to 1.035.
Urine Squamous Epithelial Cells
Squamous epithelial cells line the lower urinary and genital tract. A few in the urine are normal; larger numbers usually mean the sample picked up cells from the skin around the urethra rather than signalling disease.
Urine pH
Urine pH describes how acidic or alkaline your urine is. It naturally varies through the day with diet, hydration and other factors, and usually falls between roughly 4.5 and 8.0.
eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
A muscular man can have a creatinine of 110 and an eGFR of 78. That is the most common false alarm in men's health. This page explains why muscle mass misleads the equation, and where that reassurance stops.